As Tuscan vineyards glow in the last rays of the summer sun, weighed down with grapes, Florence is crawling with the juicy promise of emerging talent, bright debuts and young musicians. It only seems apt that we give you the lowdown on what to expect from the city’s bountiful music scene. Some are ripe for the picking; others are still busy bottling their tunes. Some are moved by a vintage soul, while others point towards innovation. It’s going to be a good year.
Beyond the Garden
Beyond the Garden’s four members are way beyond their years when it comes to music making. Despite their young age—the eldest member is 20—the band has been active on the Florentine scene since 2011. Their style is a sophisticated weave of melodic indie-rock and high-voltage new-wave beats: elements that are now shaping the band’s debut studio LP, set to be released later this year.
Listen if you like: Alt-J, Foals
On Soundcloud
Riva
Illustration by Clémence Chatel
What do you get when you put together a savvy PR and a graphic designer? Pure pop. Musicians Dario Bracaloni and Guglielmo Torelli have managed to create sandy warm vocal surfaces where colorful tropical rhythms glide alongside groovy basslines and vintage reverberating guitars. Their debut album is still under wraps, recorded at Milan’s Ishtar Blue Spirit Studio.
Listen if you like: Vampire Weekend, Beck
Facebook page
Birthh
Considered by many as one of the most interesting emerging artists from the Boot, Birthh is the moniker of 19-year-old singer-songwriter Alice Bisi. Her haunting dark-pop debut album “Born in the Woods” came out last March and already boasts a number of positive international reviews under its belt. Birthh was also featured in the 2016 line-up of Austin’s prestigious SXSW Festival.
Listen if you like: Daughter, The XX
Website
False Sky
Founded in January of 2016, this freshly hatched trio meshes warm soul vocals with sensual trip-hop synths and cutting-edge beats. According to their social media, band members Martina, Antonio and Leonardo are busy recording their full-length debut. In July they released their first single “Howling” and we are hooked!
Listen if you like: London Grammar, SOHN
On Soundcloud
Sex Pizzul
This over-the-top Florentine trio has managed to boldly push their music where few others had dared go before, diving headfirst into the transversal realm of soccer politics. Their headbangingly energetic songs skillfully reunite math-rock (or should we say “match rock”?) and stadium anthems with colorful synth arpeggios and massive drum rolls. Their album will see the light in the fall, featuring cover designs by brilliant Italian illustrator Alberto Becherini. Don’t miss their athletic live concerts—pure adrenaline!
Listen if you like: Liquid Liquid, Sonic Youth
On Soundcloud
God of the Basement
As the name suggests, this band has been basking in the dim lights of some underground lair for a while and is now ready to bring some of its gritty rock to the surface. Their first single “We Do Know”, released in free download on their soundcloud and bandcamp profiles, is a promising mesh of crooner vocals, dusty desert guitars and heady bass pulsations.
Listen if you like: Queens of the Stone Age, Nine Inch Nails
On Soundcloud
Celluloid Jam
Known for their colorful live performances and catchy electro-pop tunes, Celluloid Jam is an artistic collective whose fixed members are singer and performer Caterina Vannucci and drum machine virtuoso Gerardo “Jerro” Sivieri. Their mystique-tinged loopy hits “Fire” and “Ocean” are already classics among Florentine indie connoisseurs. Their debut album is in the works and the duo is now moving to London.
Listen if you like: Animal Collective, Grimes
On Soundcloud
Herva
1991 born house and techno wunderkind Herve Atsé Corti, aka Herva, grew up surrounded by music, thanks to his Florentine father and Ivorian mother. Starting out as a talented drummer, the young experimenter soon embraced another kind of beats, becoming a sought-after deejay and producer. He often collaborates with Tuscan label Bosconi Records and is also part of open collective Tru West.
Listen if you like: Aphex Twin, Squarepusher
On Soundcloud
